Zyra is cast out because she’s a shifter that trashes a wolf form. Labeling her a disgrace in her family. Riker is a Viking warrior prince who is on the run because they think he’s a traitor. Both realms are sworn enemies. But these two encounter one another.
This book is filled with chaos and betrayal. The two of them not wanting to be enemies. The world building in this was phenomenal . And the character descriptions were beautiful. I was really drawn in with this one. It was intense. And the connection of these two made this read worthwhile. I can’t wait for the second book to come about.

This is a quick, fast paced read. If you are into romance, shifters, fantasy, vikings, any of that, you're gonna enjoy this one. I love any story where characters are supposed to be enemies or on different sides of a conflict. I look forward to seeing where the story continues to go in book to.

I have the biggest weakness for books about Vikings. I'm also pretty weak for books about shifters. This is a combination of both and sounded like an unhinged dream. Reading this feels like I'm watching the movie Pocahontas?! IDK why but that's just what I kept imagining as I was reading this. The animosity and hatred between Zyra and Riker is palpable in the beginning, and while I was left wishing there was a bit deeper of a connection between them, it was so fun watching them go from enemies/captive to more. The ending has me hooked and excited to continue the series! Thanks Netgalley for the e-ARC!

4/5 stars Forbidden captive is a shapeshifter/ Viking, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, slow burn, romantasy.

Zyra is a shapeshifter, Riker is a Viking and their realms are sworn enemies.

The character development and world building is fantastic and keeps you on wondering what happens next, the twists and turns keep you guessing and the plot twist!!! OMG I never would have guessed
The slow burn is very slow and will have you screaming for them to just kiss already but that’s part of the appeal, the relationship isn’t rushed and has good passing for the plot.

If you are a fan of ACOTAR, shield of sparrows ect you will love this book.

The writing style of this one wasn’t for me. There wasn’t anything wrong with it, but it just wasn’t a style I favored, so it made reading a bit of a challenge for me. This dropped my rating by one star from 4 to 3.

I initially picked this one up because I kept seeing it on my feed, and while I had a difficult time with the writing style, I’m glad I gave it a chance. The story is interesting, full of tension, action, and a great romance plot. The mix of shifter x captor x Norse mythology was unlike anything I’ve encountered before, and it left me engaged and intrigued to know what was coming.

I think I would’ve enjoyed this more as an audiobook.

Thank you very much to the author, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op, and NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Amazing book. I couldn't stop reading I stayed up all night. I loved the book so much thank you for the arc.

The book is primarily about a shapeshifter Zyra & a Viking Riker.... the fantasy world is well written & the characters are well developed.

They have a slow burn chemistry... that continues throughout most of the book...

They are enemies... so there's also the forbidden love aspect & enemies to lovers.... they go back & forth with who is in control (she basically kidnaps him and he escapes at one point & has her "kidnapped"...and so forth... there's good suspense & unexpected plot twists.

Thank you to the author (Ashley Earley), publisher (Victory Editing) & Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley. The views are all my own. I really loved Forbidden Captive. The map and Norse Translations in the beginning were quite helpful and really made the story come alive.

I loved Riker and Zyra. Both characters had such depth and I loved how their characters evolved over the course of the book. This truly was an enemies to lovers story. The plot was really enjoyable and I loved learning the origins of the hatred between the Vikings and the shapeshifters. I liked how you never knew exactly what characters you were supposed to trust, and the story took many twists that I never saw coming. It did leave on a cliff hanger, so I’m excited to see what is in store for these characters.

Forbidden Captive was such a solid start to this series and really hit if you love enemies-to-lovers with high stakes and forbidden tension.

Zyra immediately pulled me in. She’s an outcast among her own people, constantly made to feel like she doesn’t belong, and that desperation to prove herself drives so many of her choices. I really liked that her wolf-shifting ability, which should be a strength, is treated as something that sets her apart — it added emotional depth to her character.

The dynamic between Zyra and Riker is where this book shines. The shapeshifter vs Viking rivalry feels deeply ingrained, so their attraction feels dangerous, wrong, and impossible in the best way. Riker is a great MMC — conflicted, loyal, and caught between duty and survival — and the tension between them builds naturally rather than feeling rushed.

I also really enjoyed the worldbuilding. The Viking politics, ancient rivalries, and constant threat of war gave the story weight beyond just the romance. There’s betrayal, deceit, and a sense that every decision has consequences, which kept me invested the whole way through.

This book sets up a bigger story beautifully and leaves you wanting to know what’s coming next — both for the world and for Zyra and Riker.

If you love forbidden romance, enemies-to-lovers, wolf shifters, and romantasy with bite, this one is definitely worth picking up.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Ashley Earley for this ARC I really enjoyed it